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REMINDER:

· Medicare Part D Sign Up

This is a very important opportunity for Medicare beneficiaries, particularly those who do not have a prescription drug benefit plan, to obtain one through Medicare. I want to make sure that seniors and others who apply, first, get all the information they need to make a decision; second, that they understand they have choices and options and need to make a decision that fits their personal needs.

While the Medicare Part D program officially began on January 1, 2006, Medicare beneficiaries currently on Medicare actually have until May 15, 2006, to make their choice without penalty.

There are numerous plans available to Medicare beneficiaries in Illinois, and I’m sure there are still some questions.

I will be hosting seminars on April 21st and 22nd, for Medicare beneficiaries to gather additional information on the new Medicare Part D prescription drug benefit and to sign up. The exact times and places are:

Friday, April 21, 2006, 10:00 a.m.- 12 noon

Lakeland College Kluthe Center, Room 222, 1204 Network Center Drive, Effingham;

Friday, April 21, 2006, 2:00 p.m.-4:00 p.m.

Sanford-Brown College, 1101 Eastport Plaza Drive, Collinsville;

Saturday, April 22, 2006, 10:00 a.m.-12 noon

Southeastern Illinois College, A144, 3575 College Road, Harrisburg;

Saturday, April 22, 2006, 2:00 p.m.-4:00 p.m.

Frontier Community College, Richard L. Mason Building, Room 25, 2 Frontier Drive, Fairfield.

Illinois Senior Health Insurance Program (SHIP) is the best place to get assistance in making your Medicare prescription drug plan choice. Feel free to contact them at 1-800-548-9034 or visit the Illinois SHIP website, http://www.idfpr.com/DOI/Ship/ship_help.asp.

Also, Rx for Illinois, A Partnership for Prescription Assistance, works to provide access to over 475 programs that help people without prescription coverage pay for their medication. They will be in Springfield, Illinois on April 4, 2006. For more information, please visit their website, www.pparx.org, or call 202-835-3436.

Also, for more information on how to sign up, please visit my website, www.house.gov/shimkus.

Constituent Corner

· Operation Hero Miles

A colleague of mine, Representative Ruppersberger of Maryland, worked with a number of airlines to start a great program called Operation Hero Miles. This was signed into law by President Bush in 2004.

They work to give free plane tickets to troops stationed in Iraq and Afghanistan to visit loved ones and tickets to family members of those who have been injured. Anyone can help this great cause by donating their frequent flyer miles, whether you have tons or just a few.

I was happy to endorse this great operation before it began, my family and I and several of my staff members gave our miles a short while back, and continue to support their great work.

For more information on this program, please visit www.heromiles.org.

· Teacher-to-Teacher

The United States Department of Education is continuing their successful Teacher-to-Teacher Initiative this year.

There are many opportunities for teachers to share their great ideas and work with other teachers around the country to find new and interesting ways to share their knowledge with students. As a former teacher, I know the importance of the skills that we provide, and hope that we will all search for great new ways to teach our kids.

For more information on the sessions offered this summer, please visit www.ed.gov/teacherinitiative.

· House Page Program

The House of Representatives Page Program has been an active way for students to get involved in their federal elected government.

It is a great way for young people to see the inner workings of our system, while receiving a great education. To serve as a Page during the 2006-2007 School Year Page Program, you must currently be a sophomore. All pages must be 16 years of age when they begin their appointment and have a grade point average of a “B” or better in English, math, social studies, science, and foreign language.

There are two sessions currently open for application. The Fall Session will begin September 5, 2006 and conclude January 26, 2007. The Spring Session will last from January 29, 2007 until June 8, 2007. Students serving during the fall term may be considered for re-appointment for the Spring Term.

For more information on this program and how to apply, please contact Holly Healy in my Harrisburg District Office at 618-252-8271, or via email at holly.healy@mail.house.gov.

· Fuel Efficiency

While gas prices remain fairly high by recent standards, I would like to remind everyone that there are ways to conserve energy.

o Slow Down: Each 5 mph that one drives over 60 mph is like paying $0.15 per gallon of gas. Speeding, rapid acceleration and braking wastes gas.

o Maintenance is Key: Tune up your car regularly, clean air filters, make sure that tires are properly inflated, and make sure that the proper grade of oil is in your engine.

o Use Engine Wisely: Avoid excessive idling and use cruise control and overdrive gears.

o Good Planning: Schedule errands with others, carpool, use mass transit, and telecommute when possible.

o Weight: Try not to keep your car too full of unneeded objects. Weight will lower your gas mileage.

For more information, please visit www.energy.gov.

· New “Traveling Help Desk” Dates

On Thursday, April 27, 2006, Amy Weber of my Collinsville district office will be available to help the residents of Dahlgren and Belle Rive. In Dahlgren, she will be in the Dahlgren Senior Center on Third Street from 11:30 a.m. until 1:00 p.m. In Belle Rive, she will be at the Belle Rive Village Hall at 109 S. Main from 1:30 p.m. to 3:00 p.m.

For more information, please visit my web page at www.house.gov/shimkus/helpdesk.shtml. I hope you stop in to see us!

Anticipated Action on the House Floor Next Week

· Congress will be in session next week from Tuesday through Friday.

o H.R. 4975 – Lobbying Accountability and Transparency Act of 2006 (Rep. Dreier – House Rules)

o H.R. 5020 – Intelligence Authorization Act for Fiscal Year 2007 (Rep. Hoekstra – House Intelligence)

· Keep an eye on the Office of the Clerk’s web site for upcoming legislation: http://clerk.house.gov/legisAct/index.html. This site provides up-to-date information on House legislative schedules.

Did You Know?

· Earth Day

The first Earth Day was celebrated on April 22, 1970. This weekend, on April 22, we will again celebrate Earth Day. This is a day to increase awareness and work towards clean air, promoting land conservation, and working to improve water quality. I encourage all to get involved.

For more information, please visit www.earthday.gov.

Thank you for the interest in my newsletter! Remember to tell your friends about it as well--they can sign up on my web page at http://www.house.gov/shimkus.

Sincerely,

Congressman John Shimkus

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